In a media availability at Scotiabank Place, Clouston suggested any moves he made were meant to help the team, not punish the player.

“As far as a diminished role, it was very slightly diminished and, in my opinion, it wasn’t diminished,” Clouston said. “It was to try and spread out the scoring, as it’s been printed on several occasions.

“Everybody knows (Heatley’s) production actually went up over the last while as well,” he added.